It's no secret that search engines are increasingly looking at social signals such as tweets or Facebook Likes as part of their fast evolving algorithms.

The arrival of Google+ and subsequent launch of brand page functionality has focused the spotlight on social signals as a factor in influencing search engine visibility.

As part of the research for our latest Quarterly Digital Intelligence Briefing, we looked at the impact this trend is having on digital marketers. Here, we have also talked to some leading search experts about their thoughts on this subject.

Facebook is the king of social media, and eager to tap into a 500m-plus strong audience, brands have flocked there to reach consumers on the world's most popular social network.

Setting up a Facebook Page gives brands the ability to collect 'fans' and to reach out to them directly. Some of the world's most recognizable brands (and individuals) have millions of fans, a potentially powerful marketing asset.

With more than a half a billion users, Facebook knows an awful lot about
an awful lot of people. And all the data it collects is no doubt a gold
mine.

But sitting on a gold mine and actually being able to extract the gold
are two very different things. Although Facebook's revenue has grown
rapidly, its effectiveness at monetizing each of its users lags well
behind other prominent internet companies like Google.

Back in the 90s, brands had to answer the question: "Do you have a website?" In 2010, brands are increasingly having to answer a similar question: "Do you have a Facebook Page?"

In some respects, Facebook Pages are the new web pages. With more than 500m registered users and counting, Facebook is to brands today what the internet was to brands in the 1990s when the consumer internet was in its infancy.